Famous Finder Jim S. described this 1971 Moto Guzzi Ambassador as having a very strange looking fairing. To me, it almost looks like the bike has twin jet engine intakes, although based on close-up pictures the two side pods should have lights in the front. The bike comes with an extensive history and although it doesn’t run and needs engine work, it comes with a stash of parts as well. The Ambassador is located in Tampa, Florida and is being sold here on eBay with no reserve.
The bike is certainly an unusual one. Showing 32,672 miles, the bike is an early example of the Ambassador, a bike that seemingly combined Harley engine ideas (a V-twin, although in this case mounted inline) with European touring bike characteristics. It actually was one of the faster bikes of the day when it was new.
The travel decals supposedly depict all the places the bike has visited. There’s a pile of documentation to support this as well. The seller tells us that one of the two cylinders wasn’t even attached when they got the bike, but they are including new cylinders and engine parts that they had accumulated for another bike.
Any Moto Guzzi experts out there that can tell if there are the right components for this Ambassador? It’s a 757 cc V-twin making enough power that a relatively stock one hit 145 mph at the Monza track in Italy. Another one achieved 125.3 mph for a six-hour record. This is one fast, big bike for it’s time.
Here’s some of the documentation that comes with the bike. I don’t know about you, but one of my favorite things about a new purchase is spending the first evening pouring over the documentation. It would be great to figure out exactly the path the bike had traveled. Would you like to be the one reading that documentation?
Guzzi + 2 wheels + oddball fairing = Want! Now if there was a matching sidecar I’d be on a plane to Tampa.
I had a motorcycle student once that held a record for push rod engine Guzzi at 156. They will go.
I own 4 loop frame Guzzi’s and I love them but i think this fairing needs to go. The coolest part of the bike is seeing the cylinders hanging out in the wind.
It would be fun to get two RC jet engines just for the effect.
I had a friend that had a flair for the unusual ( besides Scotty G.) He was the guy with the Pacer I told you about earlier, and he also had a Guzzi. If I remember, it was a tank ( and even had a mini-distributor), but quite the cruiser. I can’t find any info on the fairing, and not sure this was a Moto Guzzi item. Not sure of the “fast bike” claim. My GoldWing dusted him pretty bad.
Well, your Goldwing’s motor was about 25% larger, had 2 more cylinders, and was at least 4 years newer with 10-20 years newer technology, so I certainly hope it would “dust” an old Ambassador.
Italian !! Guzzi!! Awesome!
It’s abit different , like all Italians ,
I love it.
👍
These things were bulletproof! I had ’71 850 Eldorado. Mine was one of the early ones
that had the 4spd. tranny (the 850’s were all supposed to be 5spd) up for 1st and down for the other 3. Yep had the distributor sticking out of the side, big starter and big battery.
The motor was originally used in a 3 wheel dump truck made by Moto Guzzi. When the Italian police wanted a low maint. motorcycle Moto Guzzi made them one with the dump truck motor! Mine was never really fast but you never had to downshift on any hill and we
have a lot of them in the northeast.
My mom, born and raised in northern Italy. Came to USA “legally” with my dad, USAF. I’m partial to guzzi, Ducati ,
Aprilia.
Ugly bike , but I love it, and want it!
👍
I am s huge documentation freak. I have an ’84 Monte Carlo that has only 67k.I bought it after the original owner passed away. I got slot if documents with it,but the fun part was number matching and documenting the whole carI gave $400.00 for it and it hadn’t ran in 10 yrs and had been under a tree. Surprisingly the only part it need to run was an ICM. I had one in my toolbox. Not so much as a door ding in it.The fuel pump went out last year and I was amazed to see it had a date code that matched the car. I did the usual to make it road worthy and safe.Adding to the documents I already had has been fun.After 3 yrs and 2200 miles it has not missed a beat. Best thing is I found out it is #321 built 10/82 right up the road in Arlington, Tx.The paper trail was already quite extensive but now takes two large boxes. Thanks BF and my BF friends for letting me ramble about documenting a $400 car.lol
wtf
OK what does that have to do with the bike.
I agree.
I think he is referring to the value of documentation. But dude, no need to post a cage on a bike thread….Just sayin’